Community, Diversity, Sustainability and other Overused Words
Community, Diversity, Sustainability and other Overused Words
The suspect is in critical condition at Santa Monica UCLA Hospital
Sheriff's deputies shot a man with a knife at the end station of the light rail Tuesday just before 1 pm. Reportedly the suspect was in critical condition.
Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department officers shot a knife wielding man at the 4th Street and Colorado Expo Line Metro station at 12:55 pm Tuesday afternoon. The train was closed West of the 17th Street Station until 8 pm.
Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department officers shot a knife wielding man at the 4th Street and Colorado Expo Line Metro station at 12:55 pm Tuesday afternoon. The train was closed West of the 17th Street Station until 8 pm.
Update from the LASD Public Information Office, 8 pm PST: "Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) Homicide Investigators are continuing their investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deputy-involved shooting that occurred at approximately 12:55 p.m. on Tuesday, October 4, 2016, on the platform of the Downtown Santa Monica Expo Line.
Investigators learned that two LASD deputies were on foot-beat, providing security on the platform, when a train arrived. Although it is unknown at this time if the suspect exited the train, he emerged from the same direction of the arriving train, and without provocation, lunged at the deputies with a knife in an attempt to stab them.
A brief struggle immediately ensued, at which time the deputies realized the suspect was armed with a second knife in his other hand, wherein a deputy-involved shooting occurred.
The suspect, a male, White adult, was struck in the torso and transported to a local hospital. He is listed in critical condition.
The deputies were not injured. Two kitchen style knives were recovered at the scene. Video surveillance of the area is in the process of being reviewed by Investigators."
Locally speaking, some Santa Monica residents believe that they now know why city leaders in 1960, wanted to remove local train stations from Santa Monica. The introduction of the Expo line train in May 2016 has caused a population increase in downtown Santa Monica, and an increase in crime and violent crime. The City, which has a large police department of its own, has nevertheless hired LA County Sheriff's deputies to cope with the problem.
Santa Monica Police Chief Jacqueline Seabrooks apparently contributed a very interesting comment that says violent crime has only increased "modestly" in Downtown SM. She also says the contract for security on the Expo Line, is between MTA and the LASD--Santa Monica is not a party to that contract. See below.
Reader Comments(3)
SMPDChief writes:
Thank you Gary K. It is irresponsible to ascribe the modest increases in the City's crime rate to the return of light rail service. As it stands larceny (theft) continues to be compressthe primary driver of crime increases in our community. This trend was occurring well before rail service began this past May. As to any changes in the violent crime rate, again there is no correlation to rail service. This City experiences crime at an overall rate consistent with the crime rate in the mid to late 1950's. As Gary K. accurately points out, supplemental law enforcement services are provided by the Los Angeles Co. Sheriff''s Department (LASD) for large scale events. And for accuracy's sake, the Expo platform and train are the jurisdiction of the (LASD)...all else is handled by the Santa Monica Police Department, a mid-sized department serving this community. JS
10/05/2016, 5:05 am
GaryK writes:
You've asserted in that final paragraph that the Expo Line caused crime & violent crime to go up in Santa Monica, but according to whom? No source is attributed. It's only been open a few months, and as far as I am aware there aren't any reports based on actual data suggesting this claim. The L.A. County Sheriffs police the entire county Metro rail system (as well as Metrolink) and are contracted by Metro to do so. That is not the same thing as the claim that SM is contracting the Sheriffs to 'cope' with the alleged crime increases cited in this article that appear to not be based on any source. SM has contracted with LASD for supplemental police presence for large special events such as the Twilight concert series, but that isn't the impression given in the piece. And who are the 'locally speaking' claiming to now know why the Pacific Electric system left Santa Monica, with what would seem a shaky grasp of local history? That whole last paragraph is atrocious & irresponsible.
10/04/2016, 11:52 pm
Tm8821 writes:
It was not identified yet if the suspect shooting was fatal - be careful what you report.
10/04/2016, 10:13 pm